MAGNIFICENT KHMER SANDSTONE GANESH
Pre Angkor 9-10th Century AD
Code: 0617 - Price: POA

Extremely rare museum quality green sand stone Khmer Ganesa. Fine piece with nice surface patina. Seated in Virasana on a rectangular base, both hands resting on his knee and holding reddish an a bowl, wearing a vertically pleated sampot, potbellied, trunk and tusks, large ears. The absence of a head dress and any arm or belt ornamentation indicates a pre Angkor period. The well proportioned head is beautifully modeled, detail is still clearly visible.

With his human body and elephant head, Ganesha remained one of the most popular Hindu gods in Cambodia from the Pre-Angkoren period until well beyond the Angkor period. In Cambodia as in India, he is worshipped as 'the Remover of Obstacles'. This Indian god of shamistic origins was later incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as the son of Shiva and Parvati (Uma). He was also revered by followers of Vishnu and was even a favourite during the reign of the Buddhist king Jayavaraman VII. In later periods, an image of Ganesh was installed in the centre of the sixteenth century fortress of Banteay Longvek, just north of Phnom Penh, and Cambodias boarder markers carried depictions of Ganesh.

The patina of the stone surface is a wonderful mottled ochre hue with areas of orange and darker black and browns. Authentic Khmer pieces from Cambodia frequently have this mottled variegated surface colouring. The colours actually leach from both the interior of this soft sandstone depending upon the soil composition and minerals contained within the surrounding area in which it was buried. It is a dry surface not altered in any way. What might appear to be a crack in the stone running accross the left leg and lower stoomach of Ganesh is in fact a seam of rock crystal probably quarts - and not a crack in the stone. The wear is consistent and even on the entire piece. Originally it would have had a V-shaped tenon on the underside of the base as would most Khmer statues, this is usually chipped away as in the case here for ease of transportation reducing the weight of the object, also making the Ganesh sit upright of its own accord.

The piece is in excellent condition.
Measurements: 11.5" (29 cm) tall.
Weight: 16 kg approx.